Plural space bar operated mechanism for controlling proportional escapements



3,352,399 LING Nov. 14, 1967 T. N.;MAD|SON PLURAL SPACE BAR OPERATEDMECHANISM FOR CONTROL PROPORTIONAL ESGAPEMENTS Filed Se t. 7, 1965 2Sheets-Sheet l W 58% ATTORNEYS Nov. 14, 1967 1-. N. MADISON 3,352,3

PLURAL SPACE BAR OPERATED MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING v IROPORTIONALESCAPEMENTS Filed Sept. 7, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR THEODORE N.MADISON M 33% @M FJ M/IV ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,352,399 PLURALSPACE BAR OPERATED MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING PROPORTIONAL ESCAPE- MENTSTheodore N. Madison, Thompsonville, C0nn., assignor to Royal TypewriterCompany, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 7,1965, Ser. No. 485,228 3 Claims. (Cl. 197-84) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREA single power action responsive to depression of either a two or athree unit spacebar serves to power operate a proportional escapementrelease member which is operative in association with a two unit spacedetermining element to effect two units of spacing and with a normallyoperatively positioned three unit space determining element to efiect anadditional unit of spacing. The action also serves to power operate,through a normally enabled connection, the three unit space determiningelement to an inoperative position incident to depression of the twounit spacebar, the connection being disabled incident to depression ofthe three unit spacebar.

This invention relates to plural space bar operated mechanism forcontrolling proportional escapements to effect two or three space unitsof carriage movement; more particularly it relates to mechanismcharacterized by a single power arm operably responsive to depression ofa two or three unit space bar to cycle an escapement release member andfurther characterized by mechanism for normally connecting said powerarm to position a space unit determining element for operation by saidmember incident to depression of one of said space bars and fordisabling the connection between said power arm and space determiningelement incident to depression of the other of said space bars.

Most proportional spacing typewriters are provided with two space barsone to effect two units of carriage spacing and the other to effectthree units of carriage spacing as desired between words. Each space baris associated with and triggers an action individual thereto, saidactions being connected to cycle an escapement release member. Wherethree units of space between words is normally desired, the escapementis normally conditioned to measure out three units of space in responseto ope-ration of the release member incident to three unit space bardepression and when two units of space are desired the action trigged bythe two unit space bar depression must condition the escapement for twounits of spacing upon operation by the release member.

In the present invention a single power action responsive to both spacebars serves to operate an escapement release member and to power operatethe mechanism for conditioning space determining elements for operationby the escapement release member to effect two or three units ofspacing. The above arrangement as will be particularly described hereinreduces the number of parts required with concomitant savings in thecost of manufacture and servicing.

An object of the invention is to provide a single action operative byeither of a pair of spacing keys to cycle an escapement release memberand which is power connectable or disconnectable with a space unitconditioning element depending on which of the pair of space bars isoperated.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this inventionwill be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood byreference to the following Patented Nov. 14, 1967 ice detaileddescription when considered in connection with the accompanying drawingsin which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout thefigures thereof andwherein:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of a carriage movement controllingescapement;

FIGURES la and 1b are fragmentary views showing details of space unitdetermining elements associated with the escapement;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the single action associated with twoand three unit space bars operatively associated with escapementconditioning and release elements;

FIGURE 3 is an elevational view of the single action in normal inactiveposition;

FIGURE 4 is an elevational view showing the single action andconditioning elements in an active condition incident to depression of athree unit space bar;

FIGURE 5 is an elevational view showing the single action andconditioning elements in an active position incident to depression ofthe two unit space bar.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals designatelike or corresponding elements throughout the several views and whereina preferred embodiment is illustrated there is shown in FIGURE 1 anescapement disc or wheel generally designated by reference numeral 10which is rotatably mounted on a frame supported shaft 11. Connected torotate with the wheel is a gear 12 that meshes with a rack 13 carried bythe carriage; the latter and the escapement disc 10 respectively beingurged in the direction of the arrows 14 and 15 as by connection to aspring drum (not shown).

As fully disclosed in Patent No. 3,018,870 the wheel carries about itscircumference at intervals corresponding to a unit of carriage movementa plurality of stop members 16. The stop members 16 are adapted forsliding movement in a direction parallel to the axis of shaft 11 inslots formed in the disc between set or operative positions and unset orinoperative positions wherein the forward end of each stop member 16 isflush with the face of the wheel as viewed in FIGURE 1. A stationarystop 17 lies in the path of set stop members 16 to arrest the rotationof the disc. To release the escapement disc for controlled movement ofthe carriage over selected unit distances requires that one or more stopmembers 16 immediately preceding the stationary stop 17 be moved tounset positions thereby to permit the disc to rotate until the first setstop member following the unset stop members encounters the stationarystop, thus permitting carriage movement through a correspondingdistance. To move the stop members 1-6 to unset position there areprovided space determining elements or stop member displacing fingerspivotally mounted on a frame supported shaft 18. As shown in FIGURE 1 afirst or two unit stop member displacing finger 19 has a width whichoverlies the two stop members 16 preceding the stationary stop 17, and asecond or three unit stop member displacing finger 20 overlies the nextsucceeding or third stop member preceding the stationary stop.

As viewed in FIGURE 1a the two unit stop member displacing finger has aforwardly extending projection 23 adapted to be engaged by an escapementrelease bail 24 also pivotally mounted on shaft 18 whereby when the bail24 is rocked the finger 19 is moved to displace two stop members tounset position.

As veiwed in FIGURES 1 and 1b the three unit finger 20 lies rearwardlyof an interposer or escapement conditioning element 25 which has aprojection 26 on its upper end adapted when the interposer is positionedas shown in FIGURE 1b to be engaged by the release bail 24 and in turnto engage and rock the three unit finger 20 thus to displace the thirdstop member. When the interposer 25 is raised, as will hereinafterappear, a notch 27 on the upper end of the interposer below theprojection 26 will be presented to the bail 24 whereby when the latteris rocked it will not engage the interposer and hence the three unitfinger 20 will not be rocked.

In the description to follow the lowered position of the interposer 25,as illustrated in FIGURE 1b, is a normal position since a three unitinterword space is more frequently used. When a two unit space isdesired the interposer 25 will be raised to an inoperative position withits notch 27 opposite bail 24. However it is to be understood that wherea two unit space is to be more frequently used, the position of thenotch 27 and projection 26 may be reversed, such that when a two unitspace is called the interposer 25 in its normal or lower position (notchopposite bail) will be inoperative and when a three unit space is calledit will move upwardly to'a raised position (projection opposite bail) soas to be operative on its displacing finger.

With reference now to FIGURE 2 there are shown two and three unit spacebar supporting lever pairs 28 and 29 respectively. The two unit spacebar levers 28 are secured to a rock shaft 31 which pivotally mounts anaction initiating lever 32 having a forwardly and laterally extendingsection 33 which underlies one of the two unit space bar levers 28whereby when the two unit space bar lever is depressed the lever 32 willbe rocked counterclockwise about shaft 31. The three unit space barlevers 29 are secured to another rock shaft 34 axially spaced from rockshaft 31. A bail member 35 is provided with its opposite ends pivotallymounted respectively on rock shafts 34 and 31 and having at its left enda portion 36 underlying one of the three unit levers 29 whereby it isrocked counterclockwise upon depression thereof. The right end of member35 has a forward projection 3'7 which overlies the extension 33 of theaction initiating lever 32 whereby when it is rocked counterclockwise itin turn rocks the action initiating lever counterclockwise; thus, theaction initiating lever 32 is operated by both the two and three unitspace bars. The action initiating lever has an upwardly extending armwhich is connected as by a link 38 to an upstanding arm 39 of an actiontrip lever 41 pivoted on a frame supported shaft 42 and having adepending trip arm 43 with a bent oif end 44 (FIGURES 3-5).

A power arm generally designated 45 comprising the escapement action isalso pivoted on shaft 42 and rotatably supports below the pivot shaft 42a roll cam 46 which is rotatively biased to effect engagement of itseccentric thread 47 with a continuously driven roll 48 by a spring 49,acting as viewed in FIGURE 3, against a pin 51 extending from the sideof the roll cam. The power arm 45 has an arm 52 above its pivot which isconnected by a link 53 to a cross shaft 54 supported by arms 55pivotally mounted in the machine frame. The motion of the cross shaft iscoupled as by a link 56 to the escapement release bail 24. The power armand esscapement bail are biased to normal position by a spring 57, oneend of which is connected to a bent portion 58 of the link 53 and theother to the machine frame whereby the power arm 45 is biased clockwiseto the position shown in FIGURE 3; a downwardly and rearwardly extendingportion 59 of the power arm cooperates with a stop 60 to limit itsclockwise movement.

The roll cam 46 is restrained from rotating about its axis forengagement of its thread portion with power roll 48 under the influenceof spring 49 by engagement of a latch lug 61, formed by cutting andlaterally bending the body portion of the cam, with the upper side ofthe bent off terminal portion 44 of the depending trip arm 43. In thenormal position shown in FIGURE 3 a fiat peripheral thread portion 62 ofthe cam is out of contact with the power roll. When the trip arm 43 isrocked counterclockwise by depression of either the .two or three unitspacebar levers, the terminal portion 44 of the trip arm 43 willdisengage tbelatch lug 61 and the spring 49 will rotate the roll caminto engagement with the power roll which, rotating in the direction ofarrow 48, and due to the eccentric periphery of the roll cam will forcethe power arm to move counterclockwise as viewed in FIGURES 25, anddrive the escapement release bail 24.

The lower end of the power arm supports, as by spaced screws to permitpivotal adjustment about the lowermost screw 63, a camming element 64having a camrning surface 65 operable when a two unit selection iscalled to engage a lug 66 extending from the rearwardly extending end ofa two unit bail operating arm generally designated by reference 67. Asviewed in FIG- URE 2 the bail operating arm 67 is pivoted on a framesupported shaft 68 which also pivotally supports a two unit bail 69extending across the machine and which is provided with forwardlyextending camming fingers 71 located opposite or in the path of bellcranks associated with actions corresponding to characters assigned twounit widths as described in Patent No. 3,018,870.

The two unit bail also has a rearwardly extending lever 72 which isarticulately connected at its end to the lower end of the three unitinterposer 25 whereby when the bail is rocked counterclockwise either bya character action or by the space bail operating arm 67 the three unitinterposer is raised to an ineffective position. A bail return spring 73biases the bail against a frame stop 74. The bail operating arm 67 asviewed in FIGURES 1 and 3 has a projection 75 on its left end whichnormally is biased against the two unit bail 69 as by a spring 76connected to an car 77 on the right end of the bail 69 and the operatingarm forward of its pivot, whereby if the arm is positioned as shown inFIGURE 3 and the action is tripped the camming element 65 on the powerarm will engage the stud 66 and thereby rock the arm- 67 as shown inFIGURE 5 in a counterclockwise direction whereby its left end projection75 will bear down on the two unit bail 69 to rock the bailcounterclockwise thus raising the interposer 25 to its ineffectiveposition.

Referring again to FIGURE 2 the member 35 operated by the three unit keyoperated levers 29 is provided with an upstanding arm 78 that isconnected as by a link 79 to one of the depending arms 81 of an invertedU-shaped lever 82 pivotally mounted on a frame supported shaft 83 thusto rock the lever clockwise when the three unit space :bar lever isdepressed. The other depending arm 84 of the U-shaped lever is connectedas by a link 85 to the bail operating arm 67 thus to rock the armclockwise to the position shown in FIGURE 4 wherein the bail operatingarm projection 75 is spaced from the two unit bail and its stud 66 islowered out of the path of the power arm camming element 65; thus theaction will operate the escapement release bail 24 which will move thetwo unit finger, and via the undisturbed interposer 25, the three unitfinger to displace three stops incident to three unit space bardepression.

As shown in FIGURES 3-5 the cam body is formed with a second or stop lug86 which after substantially one revolution of the cam will engage theupper surface of the bent oif terminal portion 44 of the trip arm 43should the trlp arm remain in the FIGURE 4 position by overlongdepression of a space bar lever, thus preventing repeat actions.

In View of the above it will be understood that the single power arm 45will be operative in response to depression of either space bar leverand will act, prior to operating the escapement release bail andincident to two unit space bar depression, to position the three unitbail to an inoperative raised position (notch 27 opposite bail 24). Itis to be understood that the interposer 25 is but one element of theescapement conditioning mechanism which comprises lever 78, bailoperating arm 67, and two unit bail 69.

It should be understood that the foregoing disclosure relates to only apreferred embodiment of the invention and that it is intended to coverall changes and modifications of the example of the invention hereinchosen for the purposes of the disclosure which do not constitutedepartures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

The invention claimed is:

1. In a machine having a normally arrested escapement member in controlof a spring urged carriage and releasable to effect carriage movementover two or three space units,

a first and a second depressible space bar lever,

a continuously driven power roll,

a single rockably supported power arm,

an eccentric cam roll cam pivoted on said power arm adapted when rotatedinto engagement with said power roll to rock said power arm,

an escapement member release bail linked to said power arm and operativethereby,

control means responsive to depression of either of said space barlevers to rotate saidcam into engagement with said power roll, firstmeans associated with said escapement member actuatable by said bail toeffect two units of spacing,

second means associated with said escapement member adapted whenactuated to elfect an additional unit of spacing,

conditioning means positionable from a first position in the path ofsaid bail to a second position out of the path of said bail, saidconditioning means when actuated by said bail acting on said secondmeans to effect said additional unit of spacing,

means drive connecting said conditioning means to said power arm toposition said conditioning means to one of its said positions incidentto depression of said first space bar lever,

and means disabling said drive connecting means incident to depressionof said second space bar lever.

2. In a typewriter having an escapement mechanism comprising a wheelyieldably rotatably urged in one direction,

a plurality of stop members mounted in an annular array about the axisof said wheel and axially movable relative thereto between set and unsetpositions,

a normally stationary stop positioned in the path of set stop members toarrest rotation of said wheel,

a stop member unsetting bail for moving two stop members immediatelypreceding said stationary stop to unset positions,

two and three unit space bar levers,

a single power arm rockable in response to depression of either of saidspace bar levers,

means connecting said arm and said bail,

interposer means positioned in the path of said bail and operablethereby to move a succeeding stop membed beyind said two stop membersincident to depression of said three unit space bar lever,

and means operative by said power arm incident to depression of said twounit space bar lever to move said interposer out of the path of saidbail.

3. A machine as recited in claim 1 wherein said power arm includes a camelement, and wherein said drive connecting means comprises a bailoperating arm pivoted between its ends, a spring normally rotatablybiasing said bail operating arm to locate one of its ends in the path ofsaid cam element and its other end in contact with said conditioningmeans whereby rotation of said bail operating arm by said cam elementwill position said conditioning means to one of its said positions, andwherein said means disabling said drive connecting means comprises alink connected to rotate said bail operating arm from the path of saidcam element.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,831,558 4/1958 Toggenburger19784.3 2,954,861 10/1960 Roggenstein et al. 19784.3 3,018,870 1/ 1962Lambert et al. 197-84.3

ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner.

T. WRIGHT, Assistant Examiner,

1. IN A MACHINE HAVING A NORMALLY ARRESTED ESCAPEMENT MEMBER IN CONTROLOF A SPRING URGED CARRIAGE AND RELEASABLE TO EFFECT CARRIAGE MOVEMENTOVER TWO OR THREE SPACE UNITS, A FIRST AND A SECOND DEPRESSIBLE SPACEBAR LEVER, A CONTINUOUSLY DRIVEN POWER ROLL, A SINGLE ROCKABLY SUPPORTEDPOWER ARM, AN ECCENTRIC CAM ROLL CAM PIVOTED ON SAID POWER ARM ADAPTEDWHEN ROTATED INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID POWER ROLL TO ROCK SAID POWERARM, AN ESCAPEMENT MEMBER RELEASE BAIL LINKED TO SAID POWER ARM ANDOPERATIVE THEREBY, CONTROL MEANS RESPONSIVE TO DEPRESSION OF EITHER OFSAID SPACE BAR LEVERS TO ROTATE SAID CAM INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID POWERROLL, FIRST MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID ESCAPEMENT MEMBER ACTUATABLE BYSAID BAIL TO EFFECT TWO UNITS OF SPACING, SECOND MEANS ASSOCIATED WITHSAID ESCAPEMENT MEMBER ADAPTED WHEN ACTUATED TO EFFECT AN ADDITIONALUNIT OF SPACING, CONDITIONING MEANS POSITIONABLE FROM A FIRST POSITIONIN THE PATH OF SAID BAIL TO A SECOND POSITION OUT OF THE PATH OF SAIDBAIL, SAID CONDITIONING MEANS WHEN ACTUATED BY SAID BAIL ACTING ON SAIDSECOND MEANS TO EFFECT SAID ADDITIONAL UNIT OF SPACING, MEANS DRIVECONNECTING SAID CONDITIONING MEANS TO SAID POWER ARM TO POSITION SAIDCONDITIONING MEANS TO ONE OF ITS SAID POSITIONS INCIDENT TO DEPRESSIONOF SAID FIRST SPACE BAR LEVER, AND MEANS DISABLING SAID DRIVE CONNECTINGMEANS INCIDENT TO DEPRESSION OF SAID SECOND SPACE BAR LEVER.